Pin headers are electrical connectors typically used with a mating socket. They are often used to interface between the control and power sides of electrical products. They can also be used to connect two PCBs. As with other electrical components, pin headers must typically be soldered to a PCB. For large-scale soldering, wave soldering is usually employed. Prior to wave soldering, electrical components are positioned in their designated locations on the PCB before the PCB is placed on the surface of a bath of molten solder. Waves of solder are then washed over the underside of the PCB, forming electrical connections where desired. A similar mass-scale soldering process, known as reflow soldering, can also be used for surface mount components. Reflow soldering uses solder paste to temporarily fix the components in place, before the paste is melted to form a final electrical connection.
Misalignment of pin headers prior to soldering is a common problem. Due in part to the pin header's own weight, misalignment can occur prior to the PCB entering the solder bath or even during soldering. Misaligned pin headers lead to faulty connections, which can lead to defective products. Correcting misalignment is time-consuming and increases overall production costs.
One example of a known device used to assist alignment of pin headers prior to soldering includes the apparatus shown in JP7302655A. The pins of the pin header are held in place by a device 3 (see FIG. 1). Device 3 is inserted or soldered into the PCB (see FIG. 2).
There is nonetheless a need in the art for an improved tool that reliably and efficiently allows for assisted alignment of pin headers prior to soldering. The present invention seeks to address this and other problems encountered in the art.